Study Abroad Program Leader Guide

Pre-departure orientation

Encourage participants to complete the online OSA General Pre-departure Orientation, which usually opens in November for Winter Break and Spring semester programs, in February for Spring Break Programs and in April for Summer, Academic Year and Fall programs.

In addition, plan, schedule and lead an orientation addressing the key program-specific details your students need to know. For example, it should include information (to the best of your ability) on safety; health; legal, environmental, political, cultural and religious conditions in the host country; potential health and safety risks; and appropriate emergency response measures. (Major causes of death abroad include injuries, primarily auto-related, and drowning.)

Make every attempt to communicate all necessary information to students prior to the completion of the previous semester. If you plan to email students between or after semesters, alert them so they can regularly check their MSU email accounts. If you create a Web site for your program that is not protected by a password, please refrain from providing identifying details regarding housing, such as street addresses.

Also, whenever possible, arrange for a get-acquainted party for participating students prior to departure. Please note that the expenses associated with such a party need to be included in the budget.

Inform students that you will be carrying a cell phone during the program and will inform them of the phone number at the on-site orientation. Explain to students that this is meant to be used in case of an emergency. Consider setting limits on how early or late students can phone or text you for non-emergency purposes.

Also, provide students with a complete program itinerary during orientation to help prepare them for the on-site academics. This itinerary should include the full name, address, phone numbers and URLs (if applicable) for any overnight accommodations. Review examples.

Health Concerns/Immunizations

You must refrain from providing advice about medications, vaccines, or over-the-counter medications. This advice is certainly well-intentioned and given out of concern for students; however, travel recommendations change frequently. The best recommendations are connected to a student's own personal health history and it is important all program leaders avoid giving medical advice to their students. Rather, this advice needs to be given by qualified health personnel, or from national or international reputable health agencies such as the CDC, WHO, etc. In addition to frequent changes and the need to tailor personal medical advice, there is significant liability both to the leaders and to the University that can result from giving incorrect medical advice. Practicing medicine without a license is not a good idea. There are links on the MSU Travel Clinic's Web site (http://travelclinic.msu.edu/) to reliable sources for travel recommendations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travelers' Health site (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx). For your own sake, and for the sake of the University, please rely on these sources for health and medical recommendations for students.

In general, students traveling to Australia, Canada, Europe, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom do not need to make an appointment with the Travel Clinic. However, such students should be advised to see their personal physician if 1) they are not up-to-date on their routine immunizations; 2) they are on prescription medications (to ensure they will have an adequate supply for the duration of the program); or 3) they have a pre-existing medical condition that may require extra attention in the new environment.

Also, the MSU Travel Clinic can provide half-hour health presentations for program-specific orientation located in countries posing higher health risks. Alternatively, program leaders have used the Ingham County Health Department, which gives group consultation and country-specific presentations, followed by one-on-one consultation and administering of immunizations.

Seasoned study abroad program leaders report their biggest challenges abroad are not emergency situations, public transportation strikes, fluctuating currencies or language barriers, but student behavior problems. Those who have successfully traveled with students for many years advocate discussing appropriate student conduct and behavior-related problems in the pre-departure orientation as well as upon arrival. See the section on Community Building (http://studyabroad.isp.msu.edu/faculty_handbook/program_planning/community.html) for more information.

Additionally, if your program includes foreign language preparation and instruction, you are encouraged to make maximum use of the Language Learning Center (LLC). The LLC provides media services, computing and audio-visual facilities, and consulting in the use of technology to support language teaching and learning, and research.